West Sedona · Red Rock Country · Sunrise hot air balloon flights
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
Drift over Sedona’s red rocks at sunrise with a family-run balloon company that has flown here since 1974, then toast the landing with champagne.
Opens Northern Light’s booking system. Shared flights take a 50% deposit, and the rest is due after you land.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Sunrise balloon flights
Shared or private baskets, year-round
Admission
$375 per person
Private balloons $2,625–$4,500
Hours
Sunrise flights
One flight a day; office typically 9 am–5 pm
Time needed
3–4 hours
About an hour in the air, sometimes up to two
Parking
Pickup or meeting spot
You get the meeting point on the day-before call
Flying since
1974
One of two balloon firms permitted to fly here
What you’ll see
Sunrise over Red Rock Country, from the basket
Balloons have no steering, so no two flights are the same. Here’s how a typical morning goes.
Photo: Burley Packwood on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
The sunrise flight
Northern Light flies once a day, at sunrise, because balloons can’t inflate or fly in windy or overly warm conditions. You’re picked up about 30 minutes before sunrise, launch near Lower Red Rock Loop Road, and spend about an hour drifting wherever the wind takes you, usually a few hundred to a few thousand feet up. Finding the right landing spot can stretch a flight to two hours.
RV tip: you get your exact pickup time and place when you call the office between 9 am and 3 pm the day before your flight. Free pickup covers most local hotels; everyone else meets the crew at a central spot, so ask where to go from your RV park.
More to see
- The launchNorthern Light’s launch site is off Lower Red Rock Loop Road, about 1,500 feet outside the Sedona city limits and a few miles north of Red Rock State Park.
- Champagne at landingEvery flight ends with a champagne toast and a pastry, a celebration the company says earns rave reviews.
- Private balloonsBook a whole basket for your group: $2,625 for the small balloon or $4,500 for the large one, paid in full when you book.
- A long-running family businessNorthern Light has flown since 1974 with the same family and is one of only two balloon companies permitted to fly the Sedona area.
Why go
An early start that pays off
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions has flown over Sedona since 1974, and it says it’s one of only two balloon companies permitted by the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District to fly the area. The same family still runs it, and it claims the longest flying record among Sedona balloon companies.
For RVers it’s a refreshingly simple outing: no trailhead parking hunt and no rig to maneuver. Call the day before, drive the tow car to the meeting spot in the dark, and let the crew handle the rest. Plan on the whole morning, though, because the adventure usually lasts three to four hours.
Flights run year-round, but only when the weather cooperates. If the company cancels because of weather or other conditions, your money is refunded, so book early in your stay and keep a backup morning open.
Photo: Coconino NF Photography on Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Why it made our list
- Sunrise flights over Sedona, year-round
- Flying since 1974 with the same family
- $375 per person, with no junk fees
- Champagne toast and pastry after landing
- Weather cancellations are refunded
For RVers
Planning a balloon flight from your RV park
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Ask where to meet
Free pickup covers most local Sedona hotels, but the company doesn’t pick up at private homes or vacation rentals, and guests coming from out of town meet at a central pick-up location. RV parks aren’t mentioned, so ask when you book.
Call the day before
Phone the office between 9 am and 3 pm the day before your flight to get your exact pickup time and place. Pickup is about 30 minutes before sunrise, so set an alarm and leave camp in the dark.
Pets stay behind
No animals are allowed on the flight. Plan for your dog at camp for three to four hours, and check your RV park’s rules on leaving pets alone.
Be ready to stand
The baskets have no seats, so riders must be able to stand for up to two hours and climb in and out of the basket. Riders must also be at least 5 years old and 42 inches tall.
What visitors say about Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 4, 2026.
Hot air balloons have no steering mechanism, so you go where the wind takes you.
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions · northernlightballoons.com
What visitors often mention
Recurring themes in Google’s review topics
Professional staffA smooth rideAmazing views
Google’s review topics most often mention professional staff (24 reviews), a smooth ride (17), a smooth landing (13) and amazing views (11). Checked October 4, 2026.
What a flight costs
Prices from Northern Light’s rates page, checked October 4, 2026. Private balloon prices are per balloon, not per person.
Good to know
Shared balloon$375 per person
Deposit50% balance due after the flight
Cancel more than48 hr ahead for a refund
IncludedPickup at most hotelsChampagne toastPastry
Prices and policies from Northern Light’s website, checked October 4, 2026. Active-duty military get a discount on shared flights; call the office to book it.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
- AddressSedona Artist Market, 2081 W. State Route 89A, Space 49, Sedona, AZ 86336
- HoursSunrise flights
One flight a day; office typically 9 am–5 pm - Phone(928) 282-2274
- BookingBook online or call; have every passenger’s exact weight ready
- Getting thereThe office is inside the Sedona Artist Market on West SR 89A. Flights don’t leave from the office: you’re picked up, or you meet the crew at a central location.
- ParkingNo flight-day parking details are published. Ask about your meeting spot when you call, and come in the tow car.
Flights depend on the weather. If the company cancels because of weather or other conditions, your money is refunded, usually within 4 to 5 days.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Northern Light Balloon Expeditions
We haven’t written up a Sedona RV park yet, so these are the closest parks we’ve visited. Drive times are to the company’s office in West Sedona; your flight-day meeting spot may differ.
Munds Park RV Resort
Full hookups at 6,500 feet in the cool pines off I-17, open April 1 through October 31.
Black Bart’s RV Park
Full-hookup and pull-thru sites a quarter mile off I-40 Exit 198 on Flagstaff’s east side, open year-round, with Black Bart’s Steakhouse next door.
Woody Mountain RV Campground
Pine-shaded full-hookup sites on West Route 66, open year-round on Flagstaff’s west side.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Sunrise flights · office 9 am–5 pm
Ready to see Sedona at sunrise?
Book early in your stay, call the day before, and leave camp in the dark for a morning you won’t forget.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Burley Packwood (over the forest and past the spires; CC BY-SA 4.0), Shawn Hinsey on Flickr (firing up and sunrise; CC BY 2.0) and Coconino NF Photography (Angel Valley; CC0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. They show balloon flights in the Sedona area and may not be Northern Light’s balloons. Video: BK Videozz on YouTube. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Northern Light Balloon Expeditions unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the company’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details are set by the company and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Northern Light Balloon Expeditions at northernlightballoons.com or (928) 282-2274. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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